The Best Korean Face Masks, According to Experts

Korea is a mecca for all things skincare, thanks in part to discerning, skin-savvy customers. To meet their expectations, the best Korean face mask offerings have to check plenty of boxes—which is why they “include the use of unique and innovative ingredients, focus on hydration and repair, and use advanced sheet mask technology,” says Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in Manhattan, New York.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Peach and Lily Original Glow Sheet Mask, $79
• Best for Compromised Skin: Dr. Jart+ Vital Hydra Solution Pro Glow Face Mask, $10
• Best for Sensitive Skin: CosRx Advanced Snail Mucin Power Sheet Mask, $25
• Best for Dry Skin: Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask, $54
• Best for Oily Skin: Nature Republic Tea Tree Mask Sheet, $14
• Best for Acne-Prone Skin: TonyMoly I'm Rice Clarifying Blemish Mask, $8
• Best for Dull Skin: Mediheal Vita Essential Mask, $20

In this article:

• What is the most popular Korean face mask?
• Should I use a sheet mask or a face mask?
• What to look for in a Korean face mask
• Meet the experts

In addition to ingredients novel to American customers—such as snail mucin and egg whites—the demand has also led to entirely new types of masks; sleep masks, meant for overnight wear, offer efficiency, whereas sheet masks deliver immediate results. In recent years, that’s put these face masks ahead of their stateside counterparts.

With that, scroll ahead for the best Korean face mask options for every skin type and concern.

Best Overall: Peach and Lily Original Glow Sheet Mask

• Why We Love It: Earning its title as “best overall,” this mask assembles an impressive lineup of ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, peptides, and glycolic acid. “This mask is a one-stop shop product for glowing skin,” says Margarita Lolis, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in New York City. “It provides potent ingredients that are anti-aging, deeply hydrating, brightening, firming, soothing, and clearing.” And while that sounds intense, it’s gentle enough for all skin types, she says.
• Key Ingredients: Peptides, camellia extract, centella asiatica
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 20 masks

Best for Compromised Skin: Dr. Jart+ Vital Hydra Solution Pro Glow Face Mask with Hyaluronic Acid

• Why We Love It: Ideal for usage after an in-office procedure, such as laser or microneedling, this sheet mask uses an encapsulated form of hyaluronic acid—alongside a proprietary ingredient called Pentavitin. This blend “helps open hydration pathways in the skin to ensure that deep hydration is getting where it needs to—so your skin can experience a big dose of hydration,” says Dr. Lolis.
• Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, allantoin, glycerin
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 1 mask

Best for Sensitive Skin: CosRx Advanced Snail Mucin Power Sheet Mask

• Why We Love It: Dr. Chang points to this option if you’re hoping to take advantage of snail mucin’s soothing properties. It’s “concentrated with 35,000 ppm Snail Secretion Filtrate to hydrate, repair and heal the skin,” she says, adding that the naturally derived cellulose sheet fits well on the face. Note that while the mask isn't vegan, the snail mucin within is obtained by harvesting the snails' natural excretions. (Cosrx’s essence is a favorite of Nessa Barrett, which she revealed in a previous episode of Vogue Beauty Secrets.)
• Key Ingredients: Snail mucin, allantoin, hyaluronic acid
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 10 masks

Best for Dry Skin: Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask

• Why We Love It: Few masks are more comforting for dry skin than this sleep mask, which counts Dr. Chang among its many fans. “It contains moisturizing ingredients, like glycerin, squalane, and shea butter as well as a mix of powerful antioxidants to revitalize the skin,” she says. It also contains the brand’s signature blend of pomegranate and jujube extracts, an antioxidant-rich combination that helps support the skin barrier.
• Key Ingredients: Pomegranate extract, jujube extract, squalane
• Type: Sleep mask
• Size: 4.05 fl. oz.

Best for Oily Skin: Nature Republic Tea Tree Mask Sheet

• Why We Love It: This brand is a go-to for Dr. Chang, who likes the wide variety of masks available. “I particularly like their Tea Tree Mask Sheet to help with acne-prone and inflamed skin,” she says. As the name suggests, it goes all-in on the tea tree, using both the extract and oil from the plant to refine pores and decongest skin.
• Key Ingredients: Tea tree extract, tea tree oil, centella asiatica
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 1 mask

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: TonyMoly I'm Rice Clarifying Blemish Mask

• Why We Love It: Tony Moly is known for its playful take on skin care, but its formulations take results seriously. This clay-based mask pairs kaolin clay—a staple among those with blemish-prone skin—with fermented rice filtrate, or sake, to clarify skin. It also contains a patented ingredient, Acnacidol BG, that targets breakout-causing bacteria and helps control oil.
• Key Ingredients: Kaolin, rice ferment filtrate, sage leaf extract
• Type: Rinse-off mask
• Size: 100 ml

Best for Dull Skin: Mediheal Vita Essential Mask

• Why We Love It: While Dr. Chang likes many of Mediheal’s sheet masks—which, she says, offer a range to address every skin concern—this is one of her favorites. For one, it’s infused with three types of vitamins to help brighten and repair skin. Plus, “it is made out of a bamboo-derived hypoallergenic vegan sheet that is hydrating and soothing on the skin,” she says.
• Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 10 masks

Best for Mature Skin: Sungboon Editor Deep Collagen Overnight Mask

• Why We Love It: The rare sheet mask intended for overnight use, this “is a deeply hydrating hydrogel mask that contains collagen and peptides,” says Dr. Chang. “It will leave you feeling smoother and more hydrated for days.” While collagen is typically too large to sink into skin, the mask uses a low-molecular version that's able to penetrate into deeper layers, where it helps smooth and fortify skin.
• Key Ingredients: Collagen, glyceryl glucoside, peptides
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 4 masks

Best for Dark Spots: The Crème Shop Fusion Sheet Mask Turmeric and Matcha

• Why We Love It: The Crème Shop had a vast assortment of playful masks, but none are quite as compelling as the brand's offering of Fusion Sheet Masks, which pair two potent complementary active ingredients. In this case, turmeric and matcha work overtime to soothe and brighten skin; turmeric is a long-used staple for evening out tone, while matcha helps soothe inflammation and regulate oil. Both are brimming with antioxidants, too.
• Key Ingredients: Turmeric extract, green tea extract, willow bark
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 5 masks

Best for Large Pores: Skin1004 Zombie Pack

• Why We Love It: Named for the cracked, wrinkle-like finish it leaves on skin once it dries, this mask has made the rounds on social media—partly because it really has a sci-fi-like effect, but also because it works. The texture is due to the albumin, a protein derived from egg whites that can help minimize the look of pores, boost elasticity, and smooth fine lines.
• Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, albumin, centella asiatica
• Type: Rinse-off mask
• Size: 8 masks

Best for Redness: Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask

• Why We Love It: Cica has long been used in Asia to soothe inflammation—and that’s exactly what it does in this velvety overnight mask. “Sleep masks work by taking advantage of the skin's deep, reparative functioning while you sleep,” Dr. Lolis says, adding that this particular formula is ideal for those who have sensitive or acne-prone skin, as it helps skin repair its moisture barrier. Unlike cica derived from Centella Asiatica (which is commonly found in skin-care products), its active ingredient, madecassoside, comes from a fermented yeast that’s purportedly more potent.
• Key Ingredients: Shea butter, squalane, madecassic acid
• Type: Sleep mask
• Size: 2.0 fl. oz.

Best for Signs of Sun Damage: Earth Therapeutics Brightening Black Pearl Face Mask

• Why We Love It: This sheet mask is infused with actual pearl powder, which is brimming with amino acids and can help interfere with the production of melanin, thereby fading dark spots and discoloration more quickly. Enhancing this effort is niacinamide (which addresses pigment in the skin through a different pathway). Meanwhile, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and allantoin deliver a plump, soft feel.
• Key Ingredients: Black pearl extract, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 5 masks

Best for Eczema-Prone Skin: Torriden Dive In Mask

• Why We Love It: Torriden's Dive In Serum is a beloved hyaluronic acid serum in Korea, so it's little surprise that the supplemental sheet mask is similarly popular. As with the serum, it contains five molecular sizes of hyaluronic acid, which can in turn reach different layers of the skin. The mask also cools skin on the spot, making it an option to quickly quell irritation, redness, or even sunburned skin.
• Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, allantoin, panthenol
• Type: Sheet mask
• Size: 10 masks

It’s hard to say what exactly is the most popular Korean face mask, in part because the offerings are both vast and constantly changing. But sheet masks and sleep masks have gained increased popularity worldwide, according to Dr. Chang. “Korean beauty places a strong emphasis on maintaining well-hydrated skin,” she says. And both these formulations lend themselves to ample hydration; sheet masks create a seal of sorts over skin, theoretically helping ingredients to better penetrate, whereas sleep masks “lock in moisture throughout the night,” says Dr. Chang.

Generally speaking, masks that contain natural extracts, such as ginseng to support the skin barrier and fermented yeast to strengthen skin, are also popular, according to Dr. Lolis. She also points to soothing, anti-inflammatory ingredients, like allantoin and cica, as beloved options that benefit most people.

It depends on your personal preference. Sheet masks are especially good for hydration. “Sheet masks are soaked in serums that provide intense hydration,” says Dr. Chang. They’re individually packaged, pre-cut sheets infused with a high concentration of active ingredients–meaning they can offer immediate, if temporary, results.

However, some ingredients, such as clay and albumin, don’t lend themselves to sheet masks, since their intention is to clarify versus hydrate. In that case, a traditional, rinse-off face mask might be preferable.

First, there’s the format of the mask: It may be a sheet mask, a sleep mask, or one that you rinse off after 10 or 15 minutes, depending on the exact mask. The choice is partly a matter of personal preference, as well as your goal—since some types of masks are better to address certain concerns, as with overnight masks and hydration. “Given the widespread use of face masks in Korea, there is an extensive selection of masks to choose from, with masks targeting a wide range of skin concerns and containing a variety of ingredients,” says Dr. Chang. “This allows for customizability and personalization.”

Then, consider the ingredients. “Korean skincare companies are constantly researching ingredients and formulas so there can be something for everyone, literally,” says Dr. Lolis. That means that there are an array of ingredients to address large pores, dark spots, sensitive or inflamed skin, fine lines and wrinkles, and overall skin health, she says.

To that end, the right ingredients can (and should) be tailored to your individual concern. “For those with dry skin, I recommend hydrating and skin-repairing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, snail mucin, beta-glucan, ceramides, and rice extract,” says Dr. Chang. Meanwhile, those with acne-prone skin should consider ingredients like honey, tea tree oil, and green tea. Niacinamide, vitamin C, peptides, and ginseng are ideal for those concerned about signs of aging. And finally, “for those with sensitive or inflamed skin, I recommend Centella Asiatica, green tea and niacinamide,” she says.

• Y. Claire Chang, MD is a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in Manhattan, New York.
• Margarita Lolis, MD is a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in New York City.